


Acceptance

by Vera (Vera_DragonMuse)



Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-06
Updated: 2010-11-06
Packaged: 2017-10-21 02:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/219785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vera_DragonMuse/pseuds/Vera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoe comes to terms with several undeniable things. Written for Round One, Challenge Eight of Last Author Standing: Jossverse</p>
            </blockquote>





	Acceptance

Jayne looked at Zoe in abject horror. Her hand still hovered in the air between them, a saliva dampened napkin in her fingers.

“Zoe?” Kaylee asked shakily. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” Her hand dropped to her side.

Taking a step backwards, Jayne wiped his hand over his mouth removing the smear of sauce from his beard that had spurred her bizarre actions.

“You were gonna touch me with that.” Jayne accused.

“Like you haven’t touched worse.” She replied automatically, turning on her heels and stalking out of the galley. Kaylee started to come after her, but must have thought the best of it, her footsteps falling away.

Zoe swung down to sit on the ladder leading to her bunk. No more running from it. She cupped her hand gingerly to her stomach. Denial had worked through the worst of the sickness and perpetual hunger. Now her hormones had betrayed her.

Her bed spread before her, double bunk with rumpled covers. The glide of his hands over her shoulders that last fearful time stirred in her memory. They had been aching and tired, pressed together for animal comfort. The sharp tang of his sweat under her tongue lingered. His things were packed away in two boxes under the bed, his scent long gone from her sheets. All traces starting to fade, except now...now she had a lingering piece lodged inside her.

It couldn’t be kept a secret. She would have to tell them all, bear up against their scrutiny. Mal would be the hardest and normally, she’d deal with him first. Now though...she was too raw.

Simon first, she decided. Squaring her shoulders and climbing back upwards, boots ringing methodically on the grating. He was lingering in his infirmary, cleaning spotless counters like an automaton.

“I’m pregnant.” She slid onto his examining table, not wilting an inch under his soft compassionate eyes.

“Halfway through your second trimester.” He leaned against the counter, circles dark under his eyes. She itched to tuck him into bed and swatted down the instinct angrily. “I’ve been sneaking prenatal vitamins into your food, so the fetus and you should be in decent shape.”

“You what?” She stared at him, struggling to find some anger and came up empty.

“I can’t do a sonogram, but I can find a heartbeat, I think.” He was already turning to go through drawers, pulling out a sleek wand and gel. “Go on and lie down, just ruck your shirt up and unbutton your pants.”

The table’s discomforting cold soothed her. She’d lain here many times now, Simon’s swift steady hands putting her back together. Prone and exposed, she stared up at the bright light.

“This will be a little cold, I tried to warm it in my hands, but...” The gel touched her skin and she repressed a sharp hiss. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” She grimaced, the pressure of plastic on her skin strange and unwelcome. Her hands clenched and unclenched against her sides.

“Ah...hold on...” The wand moved. “There. Can you hear that?”

“No.” She tilted her head, caught nothing.

“I can amplify it. Hold on.”

A thick rolling beat filled the air. She had to fight back bitter thoughts about how this moment should have gone. A warm hand covered her clenched fist. Startled, she opened her eyes and found Mal’s blank expression, his hand curled over hers.

“Gonna have a baby.” She said around the lump in her throat.

“Yeah, I know.” Mal’s lips twitched.

“I can go home.” She sat up, dislodging Simon and his instruments, cutting the sound with a violent stutter. “Got cousins left would take me in.”

“What do you take me for?” He held on to her hand with surprising tenacity. “Kaylee’s already learning to knit. Been making these misshapen bootie things. Inara has plans miles long for making a nursery out of your bunk. Jayne...actually offered to babysit which frightened me a mite bit.”

“River’s excited.” Simon offered, holding out a towel for her to wipe off her stomach. “She’s got a list of potential names, but they’re pretty awful.”

“Names.” She repeated unsteadily.

A long time ago, in a battle, she’d tripped over a root, wrenching her ankle trying to escape some overhead fire. A fellow solider had stopped, picked her up and helped her to shelter. It was only when he turned to leave and follow his own brigade that she realized he was Alliance. That same sucker-punch shock of unexpected kindness returned to her now.

“Seems to me that with all the death going about, we could use a little life.” Mal shrugged, finally drawing his hand from hers. “Anyway, figure since it’s riding along, eating my food and breathing air on my ship, it’s my crew already.”

“He.” She corrected absently, taking their joined hands and holding it over the growing lump. “Serenity’s son.”


End file.
